Agricultural implement



ec. 28, 1943. T. w. JOHNSON AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT Filed Nov. 6, 1940 3Sheets-Sheet 1 I" I I L l lJllwlllllll Dec. 28, 1943. T. w. JOHNSONAGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT Filed Nov. 6, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR: vTHEODORE W. JOHNSON ZTTRNEYS.

cc. 28, 1943. T. w. JOHNSON 2,337,662

AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT Filed Nov. 6, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. 3

I N VEN TOR:

THEODORE W. JOHNON BY y ATTO EYS.

Patented Dec. 28, 1943 AGRICULTURAL IIVIPLEIVIENT Theodore W. Johnson,Moline, Ill., assignor to Deere & Company, Moline, 11]., a corporationof Illinois Application November 6, 1940, Serial No. 364,515

14 Claims.

The present invention relates generally to agricultural machines andmore particularly to implements for planting and cultivating row crops.

The object and general nature of the present invention is the provisionof an agricultural implement that is particularly adapted for powerfarming and either planting or cultivating a plurality of rows,preferably by the simple expedient of attaching the proper toolsaccording to whether it is desired to plant or to cultivate, using themajor portion of the outfit common for both operations. A further andimportant feature of this invention is the provision of an agriculturalmachine which plants an odd number of rows, say three or five, andwhich, by the substitution of suitable cultivating tools, cultivates alike number of middles, that is, three or five. A further feature is theprovision of an agricultural machine of this kind in which, for bothplanting and cultivating, the several tool units are arranged intransverse alignment. An additional feature of this invention is theprovision of an implement which is particularly adapted for use with atractor of the tricycle type in which the .change from planting tocultivating, and vice versa, can be made without disturbing the frameand rig arrangement.

More particularly, it is a feature of this inventionv to provide meansconnecting all of the tools near the front of the tractor so as toafford the operator full vision at all times of the work being done, andit is a further feature of this invention to provide means arranging thetools so that the rear wheels will neither pass over the planted seed,if the outfit is arranged for planting, nor over the row of plants, ifthe outfit is arranged for cultivating.

Another feature of this invention is the provision of an agriculturalmachine of this kind, operating on several rows at one time andassociated with or supported on a farm tractor,

which is balanced laterally so that one side of the machine is notheavier than the other.

Still further, another feature of this invention is the provision ofmeans whereby the change 'from planting to cultivating units can be madewithout disturbing or changing the spacing between the tools or thepoints of connection with the tractor. Specifically, it is a feature ofthis invention to provide means whereby the planting tools are spaced inthe same relation, both with respect to each other and to the tractor asthe cultivating tools, whereby common connections may be had for bothsets of units and so that there will ordinarily be no requirement thatthe tool setting on the tractor be changed, unless of course it isdesired to change the row spacing, in which case such change willtherefore sulfice both for the planting operation and any subsequentcultivating operations for that field.

According to the present invention, the above desiderata are realized byan arrangement in which the center tool, both when planting and whencultivating, is disposed in transverse alignment with the laterallyouter tools and directly behind the front wheel or wheels of thetractor.

A further feature of this invention in this connection is the provisionof new and improved means whereby the center tool may be connected so asto have floating movement relative to the tractor and independent of theother tools, whereby the planting or cultivating can be done at auniform depth irrespective of irregularities in the ground surface.Also, it is a feature of this invention to provide means whereby thecenter tool may be raised into and out of transport position withoutinterference with adjacent parts of the tractor, while yet accommodatingthe independent movement of the center tool with respect to the othertools, which are also mounted for independent vertical movement, all

tools being in transverse alignment, as mentioned above.

Another ieature of this invention is the provision of attachingconnections for the various tools which are common to both the plantingand cultivating units, and which common connections include a gaugewheel for each unit, the same gauge wheel being used irrespective of.whether the unit is a planting unit or a cultivating unit.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will beapparent to those skilled in the art after a consideration of thefollowing detailed description, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings illustrating the preferred construction.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of an agricultural machine in which theprinciples of the present invention have been incorporated, utilizingplanting units and arranged to plant five rows;

Figure 2 is a plan veiw of the implement shown in Figure 1, withcultivating units substituted for the planting units, the machine beingarranged to cultivate five middles; and

Figure 3 is a perspective view illustrating the construction of thecenter tool supporting means and also showing the planting tool mountedin place on the tool supporting means, together with a seed cansupported on the tractor in a position to deliver seed to the centralplanting unit.

Referring now more particularly to Figures 1 and 2, the agriculturalmachine of the present invention comprises a farm tractor of thethreewheel or tricycle type, indicated generally by the referencenumeral I. The tractor I includes a generally longitudinally disposedframe 2, the front end of which is supported on front wheel means 3. Thelatter may take the form of a pair of closely arranged wheels 4 or asingle wheel, or any other suitable supporting means disposed in thecenter of the tractor. The rear portion of the tractor includes a rearaxle housing 1 with axle housing extensions 8 and 9 in which axle shaftsl6 and II are journaled for rotation. The axle shafts I6 and II extendlaterally outwardly beyond the ends of the axle housings 8 and 9 andreceive rear traction wheels l3 and I4. The rear wheels are arranged tobe adjustable laterally on the axle shafts I and II for at least adistance equal to one-half the row spacing. The length of each axleshaft is therefore adequate to secure this extent of adjustment, and themeans for adjustably fixing each rear wheel to the associated axle shaftmay take any suitable form. Preferably, however, the means for slidablyand adjustably mounting the wheels I3 and I4 on the axle shafts III andH is similar to the adjustable mounting disclosed in Patent No.2,094,871, dated October 5, 1937, to Theophilus Brown, to whichreference may be had if necessary. In Figure 1 such adjustable wheelmounting means is indicated by the reference numeral I5.

The motor of the tractor is indicated in Figure 1 by the referencenumeral 26 and includes a flywheel 2| mounted at one side of the tractorbody and a power takeoff pulley 22 disposed at the other side. The motor26, through suitable connections, actuates a power lift 24, which powerlift includes a rock shaft 25 and a pair of arms 26 and 21 arranged, inthe present instance, for simultaneous rocking movement in a generallyfore and aft direction.

The tractor I adjacent its forward end carries two laterally outwardlydisposed draft bars 3| and 32. These draft bars or draft transmittingmembers are substantially identical except that one is a right-hand partand the other a lefthand part. Each preferably. is in the form of a pipemember, and secured, as by welding, to the inner end of each draft baris an attaching plate 34 apertured or otherwise formed. By this meansthe draft bars are bolted, respectively, to the two frame bars 35 and36, which form a part of the tractor frame 2, and extend later-- allyoutwardly therefrom. The draft bars 3| and 32 thus provide means bywhich tools may be connected with the tractor in draft transmittingrelation.

According to the present invention, I provide means whereby theagricultural machine may be operated as a five-row planter or as afive-row cultivator, and to this end I provide suitable tool supportingmeans to which either planting tools or cultivating tools maybe-attached. To provide a five-row machine I prefer to mount the toolsso that one is always directly behind the front wheel means,'with theothers spaced laterally outwardly therefrom but in transverse alignment.This disposes all of the tools in a line across the machine and disposesthem between the front and rear wheels where the operator and restrainedagainst lateral movement.

has an excellent view of all operations from the operator's station orseat S on the tractor. The tool supporting-means for each of the twolaterally outer units are identical except that certain parts may beright-hand and other parts corresponding thereto may be left-hand.

Each of the two supporting means for the laterally outer units includesa bracket 4| having a central sleeve section by which the bracket issupported on the associated tool bar, 3| or 32, and the bracket 4|includes upwardly and downwardly extending link receiving sections 43and 44. The upper sections 43 are extended to provide bearings 45 inwhich a rock shaft 46 is disposed. Associated with each bracket 4| is apair of links 48 and 49, one disposed above the other and extendinggenerally rearwardly from the associated bracket. The upper link 48 isin the form of a rod having its forward end turned laterally inwardlyand secured for rocking movement in an opening in the bracket section43. The rear end of the link 48 is threaded and carries a pair of locknuts between which the eye of a pivot pin or bolt 5| is adjustablyreceived. The lower link 49 is preferably in the form of a strap or barpivotally connected with the lower bracket section 44, which preferablyis in the form of a bifurcated section between the two parts of whichthe forward end of the lower link 49 is received Pivotally connectedwith the rear ends of each pair of links 48 and 49 is bracket means inthe form of a pair of plates 53 which are disposed in vertical planesand spaced apart sov as to receive the rear end of the lower link-49therebetween. The link 49 is pivotally connected with the plates 53 byapivot member 54, and the upper portions of the plates 53 are aperturedto receive the pivot pin 5| mentioned above. The lower portions of thebracket plates 53 are extended downwardly and curved to provide a'socket 56 in which a longitudinally extending tool bar or rigbar 51 isdisposed. Bolts 58 serve to fix the rig beam 51 to the bracket plates53. A socket casting 6| is clamped to the forward end of each rig beam51 and receives a shank 62 on the lower end of which a gauge wheel 63 isjournaled. The rear end of each rig beam 51 is adapted toreceive anoperating tool, such as a planter or cultivator unit, and to this end, atool receiving socket casting 64 is fixed to the rear end of each rigbeam 51 and is provided with a tool shank receiving sleeve section 65.The rock shaft 46 carries an outer pair of lifting arms 66 of anysuitable construction which are connectedvby chains 61 to the lowerlinks 49, respectively, of the two laterally outer tool supportingmeans. Fixed to the rock shaft 46 is an upper arm 68, and pivotallyconnected to the latter is a lifting pipe 69 that extends longitudinallyrearwardly from the arm 68 to the associated power lift arm 26 r 21,From Figure 1 it will be seen that the lifting connections 42 for thetwo laterally outer units at each side of the tractor are ofsubstantially the same construction.

The center tool supporting means, that is, the one that is carriedunderneath the tractor frame and substantially directly behind the frontwheels 4, is of special construction and will now be described. The toolsupporting means for the center tool is indicated in its entirety by thereference numeral II and, as best shown in Figure 3, comprises two linkunits 13 and 88, preferably of substantially identical construction tothe links 48, 49 described above. The link unit I3 includes a rod member14 similar to the upper link 40 described above, and the lower link ofthe link unit 13 comprises a bar or strap member suband a lowerbifurcated section 18, the latter receiving the forward end of the lowerlink 15. A pivot 19 connects the forward end of the link 15 to thebracket 16, and the forward end of the upper link 14 is bent laterally,as at 8I, and is rockably received in a bearing opening formed in theupper part 11 of the bracket 18. The rear ends of the upper and lowerlinks 14 and 15 are pivotally connected, as by an eye pin 82 and a pivot83, to a pair of bracket plates 84 and 85, the plates being spaced apartand receiving the rear end of the lower link 15. The upper portion ofthe laterally inner bracket plate 84 is offset laterally outwardly so asto dispose the upper section, indicated at 86, against the adjacentportion of the outer bracket plate 85, whereby the clearance between theupper portions of the bracket plates 84 and 85 and the side of thetractor is increased.

A right-hand link means, indicated in its entirety by the referencenumeral 88, is of substantially the same construction as the link means13 just described. -A bracket 89 is mounted on the right-hand draft bar32 closely adjacent the attaching plate 34 thereof in substantially thesame way that the left-hand bracket 16 is mounted on the left-hand toolbar 3I closely adjacent the attaching plate 34 of the left-hand toolbar. Upper and lower links 9| and 92 are pivoted to the upper and lowerportions of the bracket 89 and at their rear ends are pivotallyconnected with a pair of spaced apart bracket plates 93 and 94. Thelaterally inner bracket plate 93 is formed with its upper end laterallyofiset so as to provide clearance between the bracket plates and theside of the tractor.

The lower portions of the two sets of bracket plates 84, 85 and 99, 94are provided with trans verse polygonal openings, preferably squareopenings, in which a cross bar 91 is disposed. The cross bar 91 isclamped at its ends in the brackets 84, 85 and 93, 94 by any suitablemeans, such as a pair of U-bolts 98 and 99. By virtue of the cross bar91, it will be seen that the two sets of links 13 and 88 move togetherand serve as parts of the central tool supporting means. The latter alsoincludes a longitudinal rig beam 51 secured to the cross arm 91 by across arm clamp I98. A gauge wheel 83 is connected to the forward end ofthe central rig beam 51 by a clamp GI, and a tool receiving clamp 84 isfixed to the rear end of the central rig beam 51, the same as the outerunits.

Referring particularly to the central tool supporting means, the latteris raised and lowered in substantially the same way the laterally outertool supporting means is raised and lowered, namely, by a pair oflifting chains extending downwardly, respectively, from a pair oflifting arms I82 and I03 that are fixed to the inner ends of the rockshafts 48 to which the lifting arms 88 are fixed, as described above. Itwill be seen that the center tool will therefore be raised and loweredby tool lifting arms, one on the lefthand rock shaft 46 and the other onthe righthand rock shaft 46. Both rock shafts are rocked together by thelifting pipes 69 and their connection to the power lift arms 26 and 21.

It will also be noted that the links 14, 15 and 9|, 92 are substantiallythe same length as the links 48, 49 of the laterally outer toolsupporting means. In fact, all of the upper and lower links may berespectively identical parts. By having all links of substantially thesame length and by arranging them in the same way, each tool is carriedfor generally vertical floating movement by substantially identicalconnections whereby the movement of one tool may follow along the sameline as the movement of each of the other tools.

The tool supporting means and the other parts described above areadapted to receive either planting or cultivating tools. The structuredescribed above, therefore, is common for both planting and cultivatingoperations. This materially reduces the cost to the farmer and providesan implement which may readily be changed from a planter to acultivator, and vice versa. Figures 1 and 3 show the machine arranged asa planter, and when arranged in this manner the machine includes fiveplanting units, together with suitable seed containers mounted on thetractor.

Referring now more particularly to Figures 1 and 3, the plantingmechanism to be associated with the implement described above, comprisestwo pairs of outer planting units, each preferably being identical withthe others and indicated by the reference numeral 8. Each of theseplanting units includes a double disk furrow opener III supported forrotation at the lower end of a boot casting I I2. The latter is carriedon or provided with a vertical shank I I3 which is received by andclamped to the clamp casting that is carried at the rear end of the rigbeam 51. The boot casting II2 includes the boot proper, indicated atII5, into which seed is delivered for deposition in the furrow opened bythe disks I I I. The central planting unit, that is to be carried by thetwo centrally disposed link units 13 and 88, is of substantially the samconstruction as just described, embodying a double disk furrow opener III, the shank II3 of which is received in the vertical section of theclamp casting fixed to the rear end of the central rig beam 51.

The five planting units I I8 receive seed from five seed cans II8 whichare supported on the tractor, preferably two on one side and three onthe other side thereof, as best shown in Figure 1. For the two seed canson the left side of the -tractor I'provide a supporting framework,indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral I I9, and whichincludes a laterally outwardly extending angle iron I2I fixed at itsinner end by a curved bracket I22 to the side of the tractor. A pair ofbraces I23 are connected at their rear and upper ends to the outer endof the angle iron I2I and extend downwardly and forwardly and are fixedto the draft bar 3| by U-bolts I24. Each seed can includes suitable seedselecting mechanism and is carried on a supporting base or bracket I25which is bolted, as at I28, to the angle iron I2I. The seed selectingmechanism of the two cans H8 at the left side of the tractor, are drivenby a seeding shaft I21 which is operated by a sprocket chain I28extending over a driving sprocket I29 fixed to the left axle shaft III.A

seed tube I21 leads downwardly from each seed can II8 to the boot II5 ofthe associated furrow opener. The seeding shaft I21 drives the seedingmechanism through suitable gearing. The seeding mechanism and gearing,which ar of conventional construction, are indicated in Figure 1 by thereference numeral I30. The right hand seed cans include seedingmechanism and driving means therefor of like construction.

The three seed cans at the right side of the machine are each indicatedby the reference numeral I3I. Preferably, however, the seed cans I3I areidentical with the seed cans II8 on the left side of the machine, andthe two laterally outer seed cans I3I are supported in substantially thesame manner, namely, by a. laterally outwardly extending angle iron I32bolted at its inner end to a curved bracket I33, the latter being boltedto the side of the tractor. The outer end of the angle iron I32 isreenforced by a pair of braces I35 which are bolted at their rear endsto the angle iron I32 and at their forward ends to the right-hand draftbar 32, as by U-bolts I36.

It will be seen particularly from Figure 1 that the seed can I3l for thecentral planting unit is fixed to the angle iron I32 closely adjacentthe bracket I33, and hence the laterally inner can I3I is closelyadjacent to the tractor side so as to interfere with the vision of theoperator the least possible amount. A seed tube I31 leads downwardlyfrom the intermediate seed can to the central planting unit H0.

From Figure 1 it will be seen that when the machine is arranged as aplanter, planting five rows at a time, the central planting unit isdisposed directly rearwardly of the front wheel, while the rear wheelsof the tractor are arranged to pass down between the rows of seedplanted by the two left-hand planting units H and .the two laterallyouter planting units H0 at the right side of. the machine. Thus, therear tractor wheels I3 and I4 do not pass over any of the plantedseed.The five rows of planted seed are indicated in Figure 1 by the referencecharacter A.

After the crop has come up and it is desired to cultivate, the machinemay be arranged as a cultivator by taking off the planting units andinstalling cultivator units in their stead. It is afeature of thisinvention to utilize for this purpose as many common parts as possible,thus not only reducing the cost of the two machines, i. e., thecultivator and the planter, but also to make the change as easily andconveniently as possible.

' The planting units are readily removable by removing the seed cans andthe seed can supporting frames H9 and I32. Lastly, the clamp castings 64at the rear ends of the rig beams 51 are loosened so that the shanks II3can be detached from the clamps 64. The next step is to installcultivator tools in place of the planting tools which were removed.According to the principles of the present invention, any suitablecultivating tools may be used. Preferably, each cultivator tool,indicated in Figure 2 by the reference numeral I40, includes a shank I4Ito the lower end of which suitable tool means, such as" a sweep I42, isfixed. Each shank I4I fits in the tool receiving crank casting 64 on therear end of each rig beam 51. The cultivator shanks I4I are thereforeapproximately the same size as the planting shanks II3. It will be notedthat the gauge wheels 63 and the lifting and lowering connections areused both for planting and cultivating. Since the crop cultivated isnormally the crop that was planted by the machine arranged as shown inFigure 1, the spacing of the tool receiving supports remains the samewhen cultivating as well as when planting. While the spacing of thetools remains the same, both when planting as well as cultivating, therelation of the tractor supporting wheels to the ground is not the samefor these two operations. As shown in Figure 1, when planting the frontwheels, forward of the central planting unit, runs ahead of but in linewith the center row of planted seed, but the rear tractor wheels, whichare behind the planting units, must therefore run between the rows A ofplanted seed, and this is the position shown in Figure 1, the rearwheels being adjusted on the axle shafts I0 and II to secure thisrelation. However, when cultivating, a different situation arises. Incultivation the central cultivator tool can still be behind the frontwheels because now the cultivating tools operate down the middlesbetween the rows of plants. Therefore, there is no need to change therelation of the central tool when cultivating. However, the rear wheelsof the tractor cannot remain in their relation to the tools that theyoccupy when planting, for the reason that since the tools now operate inthe middles the rear wheels must also operate in paths running down themiddle between the rows. In order to secure this arrangement, whencultivating, the rear wheels I3 and I4 are shifted inwardly, as byloosening the clamping means I5 and. slipping the wheels laterallyinwardly, each a distance equal to one-half the row spacing. This bringsthe rear wheels directly rearwardly in line with the inner one of eachof the two laterally outer cul-. tivating units, and hence the wheelsclear the plant rows, which are indicated at B in Figure 2. It will benoted that in changing the machine from planting to cultivating the onlyadjustment necessary, outside of changing the tool themselves, is toshift the tractor wheels; there is no need for changing the adjustmentof the ground working tools or their supporting means, nor is there anyneed for changing the position of the draft transmitting bars or othersupporting framework to which the tools are connected.

Another feature of this invention, of particular importance where aplanting unit is utilized and is disposed directly rearwardly of thetractor front wheels in the center of the tractor, is the disposition ofthe central seed can at one side of the tractor and preferably at theside thereof adjacent the pulley 22. The latter member, by virtue of itslateral extension, offers some obstruction to the view of the operatorat this side of the tractor, and the laterally inner seed can I3I istherefore disposed at this side of the tractor and preferably in aposition in which the operators view is not materially limited anyfurther beyond what it is limited by the pulley 22. If, for example, thelaterally inner seed can I3I were placed on the other side of thetractor, where the operator otherwise would have adequate vision, theseed can would obstruct the vision to a certain extent, which, with thepulley 22 on the right side, would result in the operator havingrestricted vision on both sides of the tractor, whereas by placing thecan on the same side as the pulley, the vision on one side of thetractor is kept clear while the vision on the other is not materiallyrestricted by the additional seed can supported at that side.

While I'have shown and described above the preferred structure in whichthe principles of the present invention have been incorporated, it is tobe understood that my invention is not to be limited to the specificdetails shown and described above, but that, in fact, widely differentmeans may be employed in the practice of the broader aspects of myinvention.

What I claim, therefore, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is;

1. A combined planter and cultivator adapted to be equipped with eitherplanting or cultivating tools for either planting or cultivating rowcrops, comprising the combination with a tractor of the tricycle typehaving a centrally disposed front wheel means and adjustable rear wheelsdisposed laterally and having a lateral range of adjustment equal atleast to one-half the distance between the crop rows, of a plurality oftransversely aligned tool supporting means disposed between said frontwheel means and said laterally adjustable rear wheels, one of said toolsupporting means being disposed centrally behind said front wheel means,said remaining too1 supporting means being disposed at equal distancesfrom said central tool supporting means, irrespective of whether saidtool supporting means receive planting tools or cultivator tools, theaforesaid range of adjustment providing for adjusting said rear wheelsto a position substantially midway between the crop rows when said toolsupporting means carry planting tools and to a position substantiallydirectly behind said tool supporting means when the latter carrycultivating tools, whereby said tool supporting means may remain in thesame position of lateral adjustment on the tractor, irrespective ofwhether they carry planting tools or cultivating tools.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1, further characterized by saidtransversely aligned tool supporting means being independently movable,one relative to the other and relative to the tractor.

3. The combination set forth in claim 1, further characterized by saidtractor having two oppositely extending draft bars fixed rigidly to thetractor in transverse alignment and said cent-rally disposed toolsupporting means being connected with both of said draft bars adjacenttheir inner ends.

4. The combination of claim 1, further characterized by said centrallydisposed tool supporting means including two pairs of generally parallellinks, one pair being disposed at one side of the tractor and the otherbeing disposed at the other side of the tractor, and the other toolsupporting means each including one pair of generally parallel links,whereby all of the tools supported by said too] supporting means arecapable of independent floating movement relative to the tractor.

5. An agricultural implement comprising the combination with a tractorof the tricycle type having a centrally disposed front wheel means,laterally disposed rear wheels and transversely extending drafttransmitting means. of a plurality of cultivating tools disposed betweensaid front wheel means and said rear wheels and in transverse alignment,one of said cultivating tools being disposed substantially directlybehind said front wheel means, the other cultivating tools beingdisposed laterally outwardly thereof. means for movably connecting thelaterally outer cultivating tools with said draft transmittin means,comprising vertically swingable link means con nected with said drafttransmitting means and with said cultivating tools to provide forgenerally vertical floating movement of the latter, and means formovably connecting the centrally disposed cultivating tool with saiddraft transmitting means, comprising two sets of link means, one setbeing disposed at each side of the tractor and each being ofsubstantiall the same effective length as the link means for thelaterally outer cultivating tools, means connecting each set of links tosaid draft transmitting means, and means connecting said sets of linkmeans with said centrally disposed cultivatin tool, the connecting linkmeans for the laterally outer cultivating tools being connected withsaid draft transmitting means so as to dispose the associatedcultivating tools in vertical longitudinal planes, in at least certainof which said rear tractor wheels are disposed.

6. An agricultural implement comprising the combination with a tractorof the tricycle type having a centrally disposed front wheel means,laterally disposed rear wheels and transversely extending drafttransmitting means, of a plurality of planting tools disposed betweensaid front wheel means and said rear wheels and in transverse alignment,one of said planting tools being disposed substantially directly behindsaid front wheel means, the other planting tools being disposedlaterally outwardly thereof, means for movably connecting the laterallyouter planting tools with said draft transmitting means, comprisingvertically swingable link means connected with said draft transmittingmeans and with said planting tools to provide for generally verticalfloating movement of the latter, and means for movably connecting thecentrally disposed planting tool with said draft transmitting means,comprising two sets of link means, one set being disposed at each sideof the tractor and each being of substantially the same effective lengthas the link means for the laterally outer planting tools, meansconnecting each set of links to said draft transmitting means, and meansconnecting said sets of link means with said centrally disposed plantingtool, the connecting link means for the laterally outer planting toolsbeing connected with said draft transmitting means so as to dispose theassociated planting tools in vertical longitudinal planes substantiallycentrally between which said rear tractor wheels are disposed.

7. A combined planter and cultivator adapted to be equipped with eitherplanting or cultivating tools and comprising the combination' with atractor of the tricycle type having a centrally disposed front wheelmeans, adjustable rear wheels having a lateral range of adjustmentequivalent to half the distance between adjacent rows, and transversedraft transmitting bars fixed to the tractor, of a plurality oftransversely aligned tool supporting means between said front wheelmeans and said rear wheels, one of said tool supporting means beingdisposed generally centrally behind said front wheel means and the othertool supporting means being disposed equal distances laterally of thecentrally disposed tool supporting means, said tool supporting meansbeing adapted to receive either planting tools or cultivating tools,separate link means movably connecting each ,of said laterally disposedtool supporting means with said draft transmitting bar means wherebysaid tool supporting means are movable independently of each other, apair of link means disposed at each side of the tractor and connectedwith said transverse draft bar means and said central tool supportingmeans to provide for movement of the latter relative to the tractor andthe other tool supporting means, all of said link means extendinggenerally rearwardly of said draft transmitting bar means, and a markerunit including a marker element movable into and out of operativeposition and disposed when in operative position rearwardly of theplanting tools supported by said tool supporting means and supportingmeans for said marker element movably connected between the latter andthe adjacent end of the draft transmitting bar means, said marker unitbeing detachable from said bar means when the planting tools arereplaced by cultivating tools.

8. A planter for planting an odd number of rows comprising thecombination with the tractor of the tricycle type, having a centralfront wheel means and laterally spaced rear wheels, of an odd number ofplanting units, means connecting one of said units to the tractorsubstantially centrally thereof behind said front wheel means, meansconnecting the other planting units with said tractor with an equalnumber on opposite sides thereof and in transverse alignment with saidcentral planting unit, said rear tractor wheels being disposed inlongitudinal vertical planes spaced from the adjacent laterally disposedplanting units so as to avoid passing over the seed deposited by thelatter units.

9. In a planter for planting an odd number of rows, the combination witha tractor of the tri cycle type having generally centrally disposedfront wheel means, of a planting unit disposed substantially directlybehind said front wheel means and underneath the tractor, and means ateach side of the tractor operatively connected with said planting unitfor raising and lowering the same.

10. An agricultural implement comprising the combination with a tractorhaving front wheel means and a pair of transverse tool bars fixed,respectively, to the sides of the tractor at their inner ends, of aplurality of tools including a center tool disposed substantiallyunderneath the tractor behind said front wheel means, at least onelaterally outer tool at each side of the tractor, means swingablyconnecting the center tool with the inner ends of both bars, andseparate means respectively connecting said laterally outer tools withsaid tool bars.

11. In a planter for planting an odd number of rows, the combinationwith a tractor of the tricycle type having generally centrally disposedfront wheel means, of a planting unit disposed substantially directlybehind said front wheel means and underneath the tractor, means at eachside of the tractor operatively connected with said planting unit forraising and lowering the same, and a seed can and seed selecting mechanism for said planting unit carried by the tractor closely adjacent oneside thereof.

12. In a planter for planting an odd number of rows, the combinationwith a tractor of the tricycle type having generally centrally disposedfront wheel means and a pulley at one side of the tractor, of a plantingunit disposed substantially directly behind said front wheel means andunderneath the tractor, means at each side of thetractor operativelyconnected with said planting unit for raising and lowering the same, anda seed can and seed selecting mechanism for said planting unit carriedby the tractor closely ad- J'acent said one side thereof and forward ofsaid pulley.

13. An agricultural implement comprising the combination with a tractorhaving front wheel means and a pair of transverse tool bars, of aplurality of tools including a center tool disposed substantiallyunderneath the tractor behind said front wheel means, at least onelaterally outer tool at each side of the tractor, two sets of parallellink means connecting the center tool with the inner ends of said toolbars, and a set of parallel links connecting each of the laterally outertools with the associated tool bar, said sets of parallel linksproviding for separate movement of each tool relative to the others.

14. An agricultural implement comprising the combination with a tractorhaving front wheel means and a pair of transverse tool bars, of aplurality of tools including a center tool disposed substantiallyunderneath the tractor behind said front wheel means, at least onelaterally outer tool at each side of the tractor, a cross bar to whichsaid center tool is fixed, a pair of brackets one connected to eachouter end of said cross bar, two pairs of generally downwardly andrearwardly extending parallel links, each pair connected at their rearends with the associated bracket and at their forward ends with theinner end of the associated tool bar, and a set of generally downwardlyand rearwardly extending parallel links connecting each of the laterallyouter tools with the associated tool bar.

THEODORE W. JOHNSON.

